Elections: Party agents commend INEC for early arrival at polling units

Some political party agents in Lagos State on Saturday commended INEC for early arrival of its personnel and materials for the conduct of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections at their polling units.

Our correspondent reports that electorate in Lagos are at the polls to elect the next governor and 40 incoming members of the State House of Assembly.

Supplementary elections are also taking place in some federal constituencies in the state where the National Assembly elections held on Feb. 23 were inconclusive.

According to some agents, who spoke to our correspondent at various polling units across different wards in Lagos Mainland Local Government, INEC performed better than Feb. 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Mr Akeem Sunmonu, All progressives Congress (APC) party agent at PU 006 in Ward 02 Apapa Road, Lagos Mainland LGA, said arrival of materials and personnel was better than the last elections.

“I am highly impressed because this is far better that what we experienced in the last elections where the materials came in very late at about 09:30 a.m.

“Today, they came in very early, by 07:45 a.m. INEC officials and materials were on ground as well as the security agents’’, Sunmonu said.

He expressed satisfaction with the process and the conduct of voters.

Also speaking at the same unit, Mr Afolabi Alabi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent at the same unit said “No issue, the arrival of materials and personnel was perfect’’.

Mr Rasak Jimoh of All Progressives Congress (APC) at PU 012 of Ward 009, Alagomeji, who said that INEC officials and materials arrived at 7:07 a.m. and that voting commenced 8:00 a.m.

Jimoh, however, decried the low turnout as at 8:50 a.m.

Also, Mrs Joy Izulu of Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) at PU 013, Ward 09, Alagomeji, commended INEC for opening the polling unit early, but also expressed displeasure that fewer voters seemed to be coming out compared to what happened in the Feb.23 elections.

When asked what could likely be responsible for the response, Izulu said that it was possible that many were scared of outbreak of violence.

Mr Akitoye Adewale, PDP agent at PU 014 of Ward F of the area, said the March 9, elections were so far better than the last elections.

Adewale said that INEC officials and materials arrived at 7:00 a.m., adding that about 20 people had voted as at 8:47a.m.

It was reported that in many polling units visited in Lagos Mainland, accreditation and voting started early and voters were trickling in.